Turco happy to be on board

Steve Conroy Wednesday, March 07, 2012

WILMINGTON—Marty Turco had his plans all set. After his season in Austria finished up last week, his family was going to meet him in Europe and they were going on vacation to Venice, Florence and Rome.

But when he heard he had a chance to see Wilmington, Massachusetts, he figured Piazza San Marco and the Sistene Chapel could wait.

The 36-year-old cleared waivers at noon today and at 12:02, he stepped onto the ice at Ristuccia Arena with his red helmet and golden brown pads, ready for his first Bruins' practice.

“It felt good and more than anything it was good to be back on the ice under the bright lights and with NHL players, never mind the Boston Bruins,” said Turco. “It's a great day for my family and I, it feels good and I'm very appreciative of the phone call.”

The Bruins signed Turco on Monday after Tuukka Rask suffered an abdomen/groin strain on Saturday that will keep him out 4-to-6 weeks. He flew from Munich to Toronto yesterday to meet the B's and flew back with them last night, but had to wait out the waiver wire today. In the end, no one decided to ruin the B's – or Turco's – day. If another team claimed him, he would not have been able to play at all this year.

“It's just another chapter in the book,” said Turco. “You get dressed and prepare to practice, but you have to adhere to the rules and wait for the nod. It felt like being 15 years old again waiting to practice with the big boys.”

Turco last played for Salzburg on March 1 and didn't feel that it would take long to get back up to NHL speed. Goalie coach Bob Essensa was on hand to coach and evaluate.

“It's more getting back in the flow,” said Turco. “It won't really take much in terms of the speed of the shot. I think with the play, the ice is a little smaller and things happen quicker and you're dealing with players with more confidence. That's the reason they're in the NHL. I don't know (how long it will take), but I'm going to do my work and work with Bob and the guys every day to get ready for action.”

Coach Claude Julien said that he'll have to play it by ear on how much Turco plays and how soon, but Tim Thomas will need a breather at some time soon.

“The more we can use him, the better it is (for Thomas come playoff time),” said Julien.

A former All-Star with the Dallas Stars, Turco played for last year's defending Stanley Cup champion the Chicago Blackhawks.

“The difference is they had a lot of changes in Chicago, this team is intact from last year,” said Turco. “It sets them apart. You can just tell with the way they play, act and talk. There's a togetherness and you can feel that when you walk into the locker room instantly. This team is competitive, together and they're in it to win. They've face some adversity, and they're facing some at the moment, but it's a special feeling for me”

He said Zdeno Chara did not open up on him just yet.

“You'll probably laugh, but Z threw me some cream puffs and it literally went form zero to 60 – or 108 – real quick,” said Turco. “But it is a lot better, more fun to play here. You've got the best players in the world in the NHL and this team, with the talent level they have, it's fun. It is a challenge and I look forward to it. That's not to say the Austrian league and the players we had weren't good hockey players, but this is where it's at.”

Turco admitted he was bothered when he couldn't find NHL work last summer.

“I'm not going to lie. Some days it was a real kick in the pants,” said Turco. “When you know you have better and you're not in the league, it can be demeaning. But as difficult as it was, I wasn't a bad hockey player...I knew I still had stuff to give in this league. I would have kicked myself hard if I missed an opportunity because I wasn't ready. That's the one thing I can look in the mirror at this moment and be real proud of. I skated as often as I could to be ready.”

Turco will be wearing No. 1...

Daniel Paille (upper body) and Andrew Ference (lower body) skated for the first time today since suffering their injuries, but Julien termed them doubtful.

Benoit Pouliot, who suffered an undisclosed injury last night, did not practice, but Julien did not rule him out for tomorrow night's game against the Sabres.